What Is Value?
Giving Back What We Get
I wrote a story a while ago about the library’s role as a community recycler. And by that I mean we serve as a place - maybe THE place - where community members can bring in or donate things they no longer want or use and we try to figure out some way in which that might be beneficial to the library. After all, if it benefits the library then it benefits the community, so the thinking goes.
When it comes to books, this role is obvious. This weekend, for example, is my library’s huge, annual book sale. We set up in the school gym, and work from Friday to Monday to sell a year’s worth of donated (mostly) books. We also have CDs, DVDs, puzzles, some toys and vinyl and other things.
This is an enormous undertaking that requires dozens of volunteers and hours upon hours of work counting, sorting and selling. This year we have tens of thousands of items for sale.
But when it comes to, how do I put this, other items, things get fuzzy. What can I do with VHS tapes? Or those dusty CDs burned with a favorite high school mix? How many cake tins can I use?
The two giant tubs of yarn somebody left on our porch? Uhhh? I suppose the church could use those.
The box of bones and melted glass somebody dug up from the nearby lake? Oh boy.
But… the collection of old family papers and deeds and diaries? Yes please! The old telescope and the bread maker and the ukulele? You bet, we’ll put that stuff into our library of things.
Being in the position of being an arbitrator of what has value to our patrons and what doesn’t - beyond our primary collection I mean - is a curious place for a library to be, but it makes sense if you think about it. We are the heartbeat of our town, a keeper of information and things and memories.
That ice cream maker? Maybe your grandma used it. Maybe your kids did and they are away to college now. Maybe bringing it here will help ease your disconnection - that thing that meant so much to you may no longer be in your possession but it now belong to the community, to your neighbors.
That’s what we do, why we’re here. We belong to everyone. We are here for everyone.
And it all starts tomorrow at 7am. Stop by the Auburn Village School gym. See what your neighbors are offering you. Stay local. Keep reading.
We have 2 options in Northwood. The transfer station Swap Shop, run by lovely volunteers and a Buy Nothing Northwood FB group. Our library has no space for this.